At school, science was my main subject, especially chemistry, physics and biology and I had no further music training at that stage. However I vigorously pursued musical self-education, for example I got Berlioz' treatise on orchestration on permanent loan from the local library, taught myself a lot about that topic and practiced conducting skills in front of the mirror at home, following methods described in this book. On leaving school I commenced study of Chemistry at London University but continued to play flute in several amateur orchestras. After my voice broke I was a bass but sang only for my own (and my family's) entertainment. Most serious musical activity involved flute playing. I did not complete the degree at that time but got married young (20) and started a family. I commenced nursing training and also joined the UK Territorial Army as Principal Flute in the band of 7th Batallion, the Middlesex Regiment. This involved regular rehearsal and performance (on flute) and a compulsory month-long camp each year doing intensive study/rehearsal every morning, private study in the afternoons and performance most evenings and for church parade on sundays. I also got the opportunity to learn clarinet whilst in the band. A few years later, whilst playing 2nd flute in the Bishops Stortford (semi-amateur) Symphony Orchestra, I met Maija Leilausis, professional flautist and teacher and herself a direct student of the (then) world-famous flautist Geoffrey Gilbert, and asked her to be my flute teacher, which she did for a couple of years.
I have gone into some detail of this early period as it is not fully documented elsewhere. Other pages on this site cover my (subsequent) scientific and technological career and my parallel musical background, training and performance record, both amateur and professional; my teaching philosophy in outline; a list of student eisteddfod successes; details of my other interests and related links.
I came to Adelaide, Australia from England in 1963 (age 33), then to Papua New Guinea in 1965, back to Adelaide in 1970, then to Suva Fiji in 1974 until 1977 when I moved to Perth, Australia, not returning to Adelaide to live until late June 1998. I obtained the BSc degree finally by study at the University of Papua New Guinea whilst working there and returned there for the graduation ceremony in 1971. Back in Adelaide as Laboratory Manager in the Physical and Inorganic Chemistry department, I was acknowledged as a graduate, and admitted to study part-time for the postgraduate Diploma in Computing Science which was awarded in 1974 shortly before I left for Fiji. As Laboratory Manager for the University of the South Pacific I used much of my free time in pursuing musical activities. I taught flute to the children of most of the Diplomatic Corps and, as a result of an invitation from them to a cocktail party, met Rina Dekel, wife of Eli Dekel the WHO representative in Fiji. Rina had been a professional classical guitar player in Israel and, together with my colleague from USP, Bill Zucker, violinist, we formed a trio. We performed professionally at several packed concerts in Suva and, when I was appointed Music Organiser of the Fiji Arts Club, I organised a major concert there entitled "Music of Four Centuries".
As well as items from our trio, we included the Brooks Family Recorder Ensemble, HE Mr Brooks was New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji and his whole family played various sized recorders! We also included a local public servant who was a fine pianist and a bishop who played double-bass as a solo instrument.
It was not until 1983 (age 53) that I commenced singing in performance, initially as a chorus member in a Gilbert and Sullivan Society of WA production of "Pirates of Penzance" at His Majesty's Theatre, Perth (Director was Gaynor Donovan and the Musical Director Peter Bandy). Later in the same year I was invited by Kevin Roach to join a touring production of the musical "Cabaret" and then in 1984 I was again in the chorus of "Princess Ida" (Director John Milson, Musical Director Ian Westrip). I also joined the Murdoch University Choir and the UWA Choral Society. That year I asked Ian Westrip, who was well known in Perth as a singing teacher, to teach me.
In England basic voice training and music theory was part of the school syllabus as far back as I can remember. Apart from that my formal musical training was confined to flute as already described.
Apart from early school singing lessons, no formal training until 1984 (age 54) when I commenced in Perth with Ian Westrip and Graham McFarlane. Alternate weeks, Graham worked on technique and Ian on repertoire. Ian also cast me as understudy in several upcoming Gilbert and Sullivan productions, eg Pooh Bah in the 1995 "Mikado" and prepared me for audition with WA Opera.
In late 1985 I started to suffer from angina and discontinued lessons during the three month period (early 1986) when I was recovering from a triple Coronary Artery Bypass Graft operation. After that I changed teachers as I had discovered that Gloria Wilson was one of the most popular private teachers in WA and other friends of mine were studying with her too.
I studied with Gloria for the next eight or so years. During that period I won many eisteddfod places and became much sought after as a principal in amateur and "pro-am" productions and successfully auditioned for WA Opera chorus. Gloria often mounted small scale opera productions for her students with the more advanced ones as soloists. These were staged or semi-staged performances at various venues with singing and acting to near professional standard but minimal cost sets and props. In these shows I played, among others, KoKo in "The Mikado", Sarastro in "The Magic Flute" and Sergeant Merryl in "Yeomen of the Guard" She also mounted annual concerts for her students to showcase their solo and ensemble work, especially eisteddfod successes during the past year.
Ian and Gloria both taught by the standard "bel canto" methods. In retrospect I think they were somewhat behind the times and knew little about the modern voice research of people like Miller, Sundberg, Titze, Estill to name but a few of those who I now regard as world leaders in the field.
After I had been teaching a while myself I heard about the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing (ANATS) and joined the WA Chapter, later becoming a commitee member. ANATS runs regular master classes and seminars and has visiting international specialists to address it's annual conferences. There is a close association between ANATS and the National Voice Centre and it was through Associate Professor Pam Davis at the NVC that I got to hear about Ros Barnes, at that time an "intern" with Jo Estill and I consulted Ros about vocal pedagogy shortly before she became a fully accredited Estill practitioner. Ros took me through a preliminary study of the Estill Compulsory Figures method of vocal pedagogy and I think this has been the biggest influence of all on my own teaching style. In July 2001 I attended the full Estill course, Levels I and II, a five day intensive course with Helen Tiller, the most advanced of the Vanguard Estill practitioners who lives and practices in Adelaide. Later the same year I attended a further course with Helen to revise Levels I and II and go on to Level III.
Graham McFarlane was much younger and was sharing a house with Ian when I commenced lessons. This may have been because he was at that time performing with WA Opera. I do know that recently he has been a major principal singer with Opera Australia. I have a video of an Australian Opera production of "Turandot" with him playing the Emperor. I know nothing about his training background but it must have been good because he was able to teach me to reliably produce the singers formant in a couple of lessons using methods similar to the ones described in Richard Miller's book "The Structure of Singing". I used the same methods on my students with equal success, long before I obtained Miller's book.
Gloria Wilson was a well known operatic soprano in her youth and I understand that she peformed frequently on ABC radio long before I went to Perth. I met her as a member of the Perth Oratorio Choir. She had studied at advanced level with Molly McGurk and also studied Pedagogy with her. She had then gone as a mature age student to the WA Conservatorium to obtain a formal qualification as a teacher. Most of what she told me about her own training referred to Molly as her prime inspiration.
Ros Barnes is a leading Jazz singer in Perth as well as having a thriving Speech Pathology practice. Helen Tiller is a leading Voice Consultant in Adelaide.
I know little about the subsequent career of any of my other teachers' students.
Julie Fedele completed a music theatre performance course at Curtin University. She certainly had the potential to be a great performer but I have lost touch with her. (insert) Recently I have rediscovered Julie's email address and we have been keeping in touch. After graduating from university and obtaining higher qualifications in child psychology, Julie is now a research assistant working with children with learning difficulties by day and has started to perform again as a music theatre soloist. She has recently been cast as Mary Magdalene in an upcoming (2007) Perth production of Jesus Christ Superstar.
When I left Perth, Dannielle Ashton was completing her degree at Edith Cowan University studying performance and directing. She already had many successes in both areas and won the lead female role of Louisa in a Perth production of The Fantasticks .
Alisha Grubelich won many prizes whilst with me in WA and is has released CD's of popular music. She sings equally well in Croatian and English
Firstly a warm and friendly approach to each individual student and careful assessment of their specific needs, likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses and a planned approach to tailor the lessons to the individual. Encouragement of flexibility rather than attempting to fit all students into a particular style. By adopting a friendly, flexible approach teachers can ensue that the students will take much more notice of their constructive criticism and will want to correct their faults to please the teacher.
Secondly, a scientific approach, as advocated by Miller, Estill etc, so that the student quickly understands the technical requirements and can put them into practice in any genre.
Although I am retired, I do occasionally coach singers or advise potential students and I feel that the Estill work I have done is a good foundation, quick, efficient and highly effective compared to traditional methods. Even so, adaptation to the individual student remains the prime requirement for one-on-one teaching of any subject. I have been heavilly involved, in my former "day jobs" in training people in various scientific techniques and computer use and have myself attended "Train the Trainer" courses. The same basic educational principles apply to any subject, including singing.
Very little. I was taught that way myself. I own the books and have read and re-read Marchesi's introduction to her book "Vocal Method - Parts I and II" written after she had used the method for 42 years. Although I do not really disagree with any of it, I have rarely had reason to use any of the exercises in it. I also disagree, as she does with "empiricism". Having spent most of my life as a scientist I know that it has very little to do with the modern scientific method. I think, as she did, that a thorough understanding of the vocal anatomy and physiology are required. Modern technology has enabled full scientific study of the mechanism. The recent work of Sundberg et al. lays many of the myths to rest and allows us to teach free of the baggage of the years of "tradition" that Marchesi herself regarded as an obstacle to a full understanding.